FEATURED PARK: Biscayne National Park, Florida

Water, water everywhere: That’s the beauty of Biscayne, where 95 percent of the park is covered by wetlands and sea. With only one mile of paved roadway in 170,000 acres, this marine wonderland is a perfect place to boat, snorkel, dive, or fish—if you take care not to damage the delicate reefs below. Ironically, a major threat to this coastal ecosystem is the lack of freshwater flowing into the region due to nearby development—something NPCA is working hard to improve.

Celebrating a Year of Park Victories

Throughout the year, we ask you to take action on issues that are critical to our national parks, and we’re always excited to let you know when those actions add up to real change around the country. Victories from 2012 include protecting Crater Lake from airplane noise, saving pieces of Glacier and Zion from inappropriate development, stopping a new, unnecessary coal plant in Virginia, and improving the regulation of soot, leading to cleaner air all over the country. Take a look at the full list, and take pride in what you helped to achieve!

Protecting Marine Wilderness at Point Reyes

Following Secretary Salazar’s ruling to establish the West Coast’s first marine wilderness area at Drakes Estero in California’s Point Reyes National Seashore, the owners of a commercial oyster company are suing the National Park Service for the ability to continue planting non-native oysters in the sensitive estuary beyond their lease expiration. Here’s why Congress and the courts should stand behind Salazar’s decision and not allow special interests to rob the public of this extraordinary parkland purchased and owned by all Americans.

Rebuilding after Superstorm Sandy

Last October, Hurricane Sandy made landfall in the Northeast, destroying communities and hurting families, homes, and businesses. Earier this week, Congress failed to approved billions of dollars in storm repair funds that would have helped the country rebuild, including aid to repair the unprecedented damage to Sandy Hook, the Statue of Liberty, Fire Island, and other national parks hit hard by the storm. We call on our newly sworn-in Congress to pick up the ball and quickly authorize this desperately needed aid.

Unfinished Business

Many critics have dubbed the 112th Congress a “do-nothing” body. However, as the clock ran out on the legislative session, NPCA took a look at the quantity of bills these men and women produced to study and potentially create new national parks. These senators and representatives did, in fact, do quite a lot, generating stacks of worthy bills that would preserve important and irreplaceable sites for future generations. Passing them, however, was a different story. Here’s a roundup of what the 112th did and didn’t get done for the parks these last two years.

Making Acadia’s Beauty More Accessible

More than 2 million people flock to Acadia National Park in Maine each year, making it one of the most-visited national parks in America. NPCA recently partnered with the Friends of Acadia on a project generously funded by Nature Valley to build the Duck Brook Connector Trail. This trail will help improve visitor access to the park while reducing congestion and pollution from motorized vehicles. Despite inclement weather, dozens of volunteers from different walks of life pitched in to help make the trail a reality.

Wolf Death Sparks New Hunting Concerns

Gray wolves were recently taken off the Endangered Species List, but hunters are now legally allowed to shoot them in most of Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. Hunts are already having a significant impact on wolves in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. Last month, when a hunter killed a well-loved alpha female just 15 miles outside of Yellowstone, it caused outrage and prompted Montana officials to prohibit wolf hunting in a buffer zone around the park. NPCA urges Wyoming and Idaho to follow suit.

PARKSCAPES TRAVEL
The Grandest Canyons

Join this family-friendly trip to Grand Canyon National Park, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, and Zion National Park next summer. Daily adventures include hiking, biking, water activities, and stargazing.

SUBSCRIBE TODAY!

The winter issue of National Parks is out with features on sustainable food options for park visitors, a riveting tour of three Civil War sites, and innovative new road crossings that help protect wildlife from vehicle traffic in and around Glacier National Park. Subscribe to get your copy!

America’s National Parks: An Insider’s Guide to Unforgettable Places and Experiences

Dream up your next national park adventure as you flip through the stunning images in this new photo book by Time Home Entertainment and the editors of NPCA’s National Parks magazine. Read about some of the work that went into creating this book, and find out where to get your own copy.

Are You a Park Advocate?

We can’t fit all of the month’s news into a single newsletter. If you enjoy Park Lines, be sure to check out Park Advocate, NPCA’s blog, for more national park news, travel-related features, policy updates, and fun photos from around the country. Subscribe to our RSS feed to get the latest stories, when you want to read them.